Steels in motorcycling engineering
How are steels used in a mechanical manufacturing project?
Currently, engineering projects are developed by generating a 3D design through mechanical design programs. Once the parts and components have been determined, the mechanical manufacturing stage is developed.
At this point the whole part of purchasing raw materials, machining, laser cutting… and a host of other operations begins. This is where to count on good suppliers of special steels, since they will make a difference in specialized engineering projects.
Aceros URSSA Collaboration with Motorsport
One more year Aceros URSSA. has collaborated in the sponsorship of the MOTORSPORT team made up of ETSEIB (UPC) students, providing raw materials such as sheets and blocks of special steel. This year the MotorStuden team has competed with a 100% electric motorcycle.
From Aceros URSSA we have conducted an interview with a representative of the team to ask in which parts the special steels of Aceros Urssa have been used and what their experience has been during mechanical manufacturing.
What parts are developed with Special Steel in motorcycle design?
Material for Tools
Motorsport : To begin with, the first collaboration that we carried out with URSSA steels consisted of some steel blocks that we later machined to make some tools that would serve as clamps to carry out tensile tests on specimens of different fiber laminates carbon.
Material for laser cutting
Motorsport: Subsequently, the company provided us with a series of steel plates that we would use to make different basic parts that we might need during the manufacturing process.
Material for gearboxes
Motorsport: For the gearbox we asked for some tool steel plates since their characteristics were very similar to what we were looking for, from these we cut the pinions that would be in charge of the transmission between the engine, gearbox and wheel.
Material for gearboxes
Motorsport: We were also provided with a large number of blocks and steel plates to make the benches that would be used to weld the motorcycle’s chassis.
Similar to the previous need, we were also provided with plates to make a bench where the engine could be anchored in order to test its power delivery before mounting it on the motorcycle.
What advantages have you noticed when working with special steels instead of the usual steels in the sector?
In our case we have not worked with many pieces for which special materials were needed. In the case of the benches, the only thing that interested us was that it was a steel that was easy to weld and that it had a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
In the case that if it helped us a lot, it was when we thought about the gearbox pinions, since we needed a steel that could be cemented and, in addition, that the steel was resistant so that it could withstand the wear and tear to which these parts are subjected due to friction. they suffer when they work.
What does Acero Urssa contribute to motorcycling mechanical manufacturing engineering?
Aceros Urssa is the supplier of special steels that will supply you with both high mechanical resistance steel and steel resistant to high temperatures… In the design engineering of a motorcycle you can count on the following contributions:
- Structure/Chassis -> High elastic limit steels (Up to 1200 MPa): This option offers the design a considerable weight reduction and a substantial increase in the mechanical resistance limit, making the structure more suitable for competition.
- Gears -> 42CrMo4 hardened steel: This option increases the life of the gears by reducing fatigue wear during contact between the teeth in each revolution.
If you have any questions about the use of high elastic limit steels or hardened steels, do not hesitate to write to us and we will advise you on the best steel for your project.
The ePRO2
This motorcycle encompasses the work of a whole team made up of future mechanical, electronic, electrical and materials engineers who have contributed the maximum possible effort to develop a 100% electric racing motorcycle that considerably improves the performance of the motorcycle. previous prototype.
This success has been achieved thanks to the restructuring of thebattery pack to improve cooling and advancing the electronics of the prototype. So, improving mechanical aspects such as aerodynamics together.
